Capcom Shaolin Monks vs God of War

[oddech_wymarlych_swiatow]

Even now, after years, I'm still shocked that out of both these titles, is that the first former that fell into obscurity. Why compare them? They're IIMHO natural rivals, similar genre: similar tech, exactly the same year of release. Question is, which one do you find better?

I'll go for Shaolin Monks all the way. In fact, I can hardly point out a single area in which GoW may have upper hand except for setting which is kind of matter o personal taste.

Level design? GoW is pretty much linear while in SM you can revisit every level except for the first one (Goro's Lair), and that more. Thank to metroidvania concepts you can explore early levels further thank to new abilities for secret and stuff (like Fist of Ruin and Swing abilities gives you access to Warrior Shrine in second area to fight Ermac). Plus. in GoW you can only kill mobs on your own, in MK you can use variety of stage hazards, hell geam even demands you to do that at some point to progress - 'Oh no, next platform is too high, bring up some bodies into the spikes to make artificial stairs!'.

Protagonist? In SM, you can play as four fighters and every of them has his unique skills and combos (Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Scorpion, Sub-Zero) and with the cheat device, you can unlock skin swaps of almost every fuckin' MK boss/NPC. In GoW, there is only one single annoiyng asshole available.

Mutliplayer? GoW - none, SM - excellent co-op and some of the secret can be unlocked only in two players mode.

Someone love that gimmicky Kratos chains... it's the same weapon that is Inferno Scorpion wields in boss fight? I mean, he uses his kunai in the very same way.

QTE? I don't like that concept in any form but in GoW it's just boring button mashing, in SM at least there are combinations for classic Test Your Might minigame or mandatory fatalities on the end of boss battles.

I can go on and on but that's enough... not saying that God of War is some bad game because it's like solid 7/10 fun hack'n'slash but Shaolin Monks just stomps it in every possible way.

 

[Assisted Living Godzilla]

I got the distinct impression at the time from interviews that Ed Boon wasn't exactly happy with another studio (SM being developed by Paradox as opposed to the MK team) doing a Mortal Kombat game, which seems to be what killed the Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks from continuing. When it came out Boon was talking about a Shaolin Monks 2 but development by them, and then the story mode in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon was meant to be like Shaolin Monks but that was shit.

It's too bad they never got to do another one, it had a pretty cool Power Stonesesque multiplayer aspect to it. I'm pretty sure they're the same team that would later do WWE All-Stars too, which means they've twice made something better than the main team but not gotten to follow it up.

 

[agentorange]

The simple answer of why one did better than the other is that God of War had Sony money behind it. It was a flagship title for the PS2 and received enormous amounts of coverage and advertising. Shaolin Monks was a mid-buget multiplatform game released when Midway was already on its long decline.

Also I don't know why you'd even compare the two, Shaolin Monks was more of a 3D version of a traditional brawler, whereas God of War was a somewhat dumbed down version of Devil May Cry style games which ended up becoming a sub-genre initself. I personally prefer Shaolin Monks but it's hardly a surprise that God of War did far better.

 

[Maggot]

 

[Tehdagah]

View attachment 12109

Ninja Gaiden is actually easier since it has healing items.

 

[Silverfish]

God of War has chests with health orbs every five feet.

 

[Viata]

View attachment 12109

Ninja Gaiden is actually easier since it has healing items.

If you are using healing items, you are doing it wrong.